Two Burned to Death, 3 Cars Burnt to Ashes, As Fuel Tanker Explodes in Ibadan

Disaster struck in Ibadan on Thursday aftetnoon as two unidentified persons, male and female, were burnt to death in an inferno that occured following a fuel tanker explosion at Onipepeye area, along Lagos/Ibadan expressway.

The nferno which began around 2:05pm on Thursday, claimed two lives, while three cars were also burnt into ashes, as well as a motorcycle.

An eye witness, who identified himself as ‘Abbey’ said that the incident occurred while the fuel tanker driver that was coming from the Lagos lane, tried to maneuver a commercial Nissan Micra taxi and in the process, the tanker lost control and fell.

“It was the spill over of fuel from the fallen tanker at the main road that catches fire from one pit under Onipepeye bridge, and before we could say anything, we heard a big exploding sound, it was so terrific, there were tick flames everywhere and I think in the process where everyone were trying to get out of the scene that the two persons were so unlucky as the fire catch up with them.

“We called the fire service personnel to come and rescue the situation before the fire started but it took them more than good fourty minutes before they arrived, and by the time they got here, the fire had already burned two people till death.

“These people were inside their cars, trying to navigates their way to the main express way, they should be coming from either Gbagi market or Gate axis, we did not recorgnise any of the victims, as you can see they have been burnt beyond recorgnition, all their personal belongings also burned with them, so up till now ,we could not recognize them, nor contact their family members, assuming the fire service people are here on time maybe they would have saved the situation,” he said.

When contacted on phone about the incident, the Police Public Relation Officer of the Oyo State Police Command, SP Olugbenga Fadeyi confirmed the incident.